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The view from Bolan Mountain Lookout, which sits in a remote section of the Siskiyou Range in Southern Oregon, can be rented by the public. However, it is very popular due to the amazing views and must be reserved six months in advance. Zach Urness/Photo courtsey of the Grants Pass Daily Courier

Bolan Mountain Lookout sits in a remote section of the Siskiyou Range in Southern Oregon. It can be rented by the public but is very popular due to the amazing views and must be reserved six months in advance. Zach Urness/Photo courtsey of the Grants Pass Daily Courier

Bolan Mountain Lookout sits in a remote section of the Siskiyou Range in Southern Oregon. The amenities are very limited, and people must bring their own water, stove and food. It can be rented by the public but is very popular due to the amazing views and must be reserved six months in advance. Zach Urness/Photo courtesy of the Grants Pass Daily Courier

The Fairview Mountain Lookout is in the Umpqua National Forest and a favorite to rent during summer. Ian MacDonald/Special to the Statesman Journal Photo by Ian MacDonald / Special to the Statesman Journal

Bolan Mountain Lookout sits in a remote section of the Siskiyou Range in Southern Oregon. It can be rented by the public but is very popular due to the amazing views and must be reserved six months in advance. Zach Urness/Photo courtsey of the Grants Pass Daily Courier Zach Urness

Bolan Mountain Lookout sits in a remote section of the Siskiyou Range in Southern Oregon. It can be rented by the public but is very popular due to the amazing views and must be reserved six months in advance. Zach Urness/Photo courtsey of the Grants Pass Daily Courier Zach Urness

The route to Warner Mountain Lookout, located in a remote section of Willamette National Forest southeast of Oakridge, requires snowshoeing, skiing or snowmobiling between four and 10 miles on snowed-over Forest Service Roads, depending on the snow conditions. Zach Urness / Statesman Journal, Zach Urness / Statesman Journal

Each summer and winter, the U.S. Forest Service rents out a handful of fire lookouts perched atop Oregon mountains from the Strawberries to the Siskiyous to the Cascades.

There's nothing quite like spending the night atop a mountain, of watching the sun rise and fall over a vast wilderness in a cozy glass hut.

But for any chance at reserving one, a plan is required. The lookouts can be reserved on Recreation.Gov six months in advance. In most cases — especially if you want a weekend — that is required.

This means you should start looking exactly six months from the day that you're seeking. For example, if you want to stay at Drake Peak Lookout on June 28, make sure you're online Dec. 28 in the morning.

Yes, the competition is that fierce.

A few things to keep in mind: The amenities at the lookouts often are Spartan and usually require bringing water, a stove and cookware. Many of the lookouts only have one bunk, so anyone who doesn't make the cut will have to sleep on the floor (bring sleeping bags and pads).

If you're traveling during the winter, there's a good chance you'll be skiing or snowshoeing through the backcounty to reach your destination.

Also this: Don't get discouraged if you don't score on your first attempt at reserving one. There are 20 lookouts available in Oregon's national forests, so search far and wide, and check back often for cancellations.

The effort is worthwhile when the views are this good.

Here's video of Warner Mountain Lookout to whet your appetite, followed by a breakdown of some of the best lookouts in national forests across the state.

CLOSE

Hidden deep in the Central Cascade Range backcountry, Warner Ridge Lookout is a beautiful destination and a cozy abode that the public can rent in winter, but which requires a long ski or snowshoe to access.

DESCHUTES NATIONAL FOREST

Perched 2,000 feet above the Metolius River like a house on stilts, the most popular rental in Deschutes National Forest is Green Ridge Lookout.

Offering views of Mount Jefferson and the Cascades, Green Ridge is open early May to June and mid-September to mid-November.

Information: Deschutes National Forest, (541) 383-5300.

Green Ridge Lookout(Photo: U.S. Forest Service)

FREMONT-WINEMA

You can peer into three different states from the 8,222-foot viewpoint of Drake Peak Lookout in southeastern Oregon near Lakeview.

Open from June 15 to Oct. 15, the lookout is the highest in Oregon and has a propane refrigerator, lights, cook stove and wood stove for heating. Views include Oregon, California and Nevada. A high clearance vehicle is required due to the condition of road, and the site is very remote.

Not only does it feature panoramic views that stretch across Eastern Oregon's Strawberry Mountains, but it also has a futon bed, electricity, a stove and refrigerator. It's open May 8 to Oct 29.

"It's an incredible view and definitely one you have to reserve ahead of time," said Shilo Burton of Malheur National Forest.

Information: Malheur National Forest, (541) 575-3000.

Fall Mountain Lookout(Photo: U.S. Forest Service)

MOUNT HOOD

Probably best known for ski-in lookouts that offer winter solitude — Clear Lake and Flag Point (winter) are two examples — Mount Hood National Forest does have summertime options.

The most popular is Fivemile Butte, open year-round, and featuring a high stair-stepping design to the top. Many hiking and biking trails can be accessed nearby.

Information: Mount Hood National Forest, (503) 668-1700.

Fivemile Butte Lookout.(Photo: U.S. Forest Service)

ROGUE RIVER-SISKIYOU

Some of the best high-mountain lookouts can be found in the Siskiyou Mountains of southwest Oregon.

Bolan Mountain is a personal favorite. Perched atop high cliffs with a wrap-around porch, it features views across the Red Buttes, Siskiyou and Kalmiopsis wilderness areas and all the way to Mount Shasta. It's open July 2 to Sept. 27.

Other worthwhile spots include Snow Camp Lookout, east of Gold Beach, which was rebuilt in 2004 after the original was torched by the Biscuit Fire. It's equipped with a wood-burning cook stove and available June 12 through Sept. 26.

Quail Prairie, Bald Knob and Lake of the Woods lookouts also are good during summer.

Information: Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, (541) 618-2200.

Bolan Mountain Lookout sits in a remote section of the Siskiyou Range in Southern Oregon. It can be rented by the public but is very popular due to the amazing views and must be reserved six months in advance.(Photo: Zach Urness/Photo courtsey of the Grants Pass Daily Courier)

UMATILLA

Although it's not home to any official lookouts, the Umatilla National Forest does offer three compelling guard stations (basically rustic cabins).

Tamarack Lookout Cabin, Wenatchee Guard Station and Summit Guard Station all offer spectacular views, said Joani Bosworth, public affairs director for Umatilla National Forest.

Tamarack, west of Bates, might be the best. At 4,979 feet, it overlooks the John Day River basin. The cabin is open May 16 to Nov. 15.

"Those three have great views, and if you start looking into it, people should be able to find an available weekend," Bosworth said.

Information: Umatilla National Forest, (541) 278-3716.

UMPQUA

Southern Oregon's land of Umpqua is home to three lookouts, and two of the most spectacular are Acker Rock outside Canyonville and Fairview Peak southwest of Oakridge.

All but hanging off the edge of a cliff, Acker features views of Cascade peaks in every direction. On a clear day, you can see mountains on the Willamette, Rogue and Deschutes river watersheds. The lookout, which requires a 0.4 mile hike, is open July 31 to Nov. 14.

Fairview, open June 24 to July 31 and Oct. 1-19, is a unique structure, and something of a misnomer, considering the lookout sits on 53-foot tall legs and offers views of every major Cascade peak from Hood to McLoughlin on a clear day. It is not for those bothered by heights.

Pickett Butte, east of Tiller, also is nice.

Information: Umpqua National Forest, (541) 672-6601

The Fairview Mountain Lookout is in the Umpqua National Forest and a favorite to rent during summer.(Photo: Ian MacDonald/Special to the Statesman Journal)

WALLOWA-WHITMAN

Despite some of the grandest mountain ranges in Oregon, the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest doesn't feature any overlooks for rent.

But, just like Umatilla, there are alpine cabins to be had. Anthony Lakes Guard Station is a good example. Nestled in the Elkhorn Mountains, this 1930s era cabin sits in a subalpine meadow and is equipped with all the amenities of home.

Information: Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, (541) 523-6391

WILLAMETTE

The closest national forest to Salem is home to three lookouts.

The closest to the Capitol City is Gold Butte Lookout, north of Detroit Lake, which sits at the end of a rugged road (high-clearance vehicles are recommended) but features views of Mount Jefferson, Three Fingered Jack, Mount Hood, the Three Sisters and Bull of the Woods Wilderness.

Seasonal wildflowers and wild huckleberries grow nearby. It's usually booked solid, and securing a night can be difficult. It is open June 29 to Oct. 17.

One other lookout is farther south, near Blue River. Indian Ridge offers views of the Three Sisters and surrounding Cascades from a meadow of beargrass and huckleberries. It is open July 1 to Oct. 25.

If you're up for winter travel of between 5 to 12 miles, visit Warner Mountain Lookout, home to stunning views of Diamond Peak.

Zach Urness has been an outdoors writer, photographer and videographer in Oregon for six years. He can be reached at zurness@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6801. For more news, adventures and trips see Our Oregon Outdoors on Facebook or ZachsORoutdoors on Twitter.

How to reserve a Forest Service lookout

Log on: recreation.gov

Search: Name of desired lookout (Gold Butte Lookout)

Dates: Check availability by searching "date range availability"

Plan: Start trying to reserve the lookout six months in advance

Call: (877) 444-6777

When to reserve: Can be reserved six months in advance through the U.S. Forest Service